Prestley stares at me, her bluish gaze cold enough to send shivers down my spine. “Sarah, can you check with Coach Alberts? I’m sure he’s got some spare shirts in the gym locker,” she says, without taking her eyes off me.
Sarah rolls her eyes, but she exits the bathroom, nonetheless. Prestley is the ringleader. Figures. She’s got the attitude for it.
“Thanks,” I murmur.
“No sweat. A little humanity never killed anyone,” Prestley replies. “You should take off the shirt, though. We’re all girls, here.”
I nod slowly, and peel the fabric off my skin, feeling gooey all over. I drop the shirt in the sink, letting the water do most of the work for me, and proceed to wash whatever is left on my neck and chest. This is so bleepin’ embarrassing, but Prestley’s right. I can’t be on the receiving end of this bullshit forever.
“I hope you’re not planning to go home, now,” she says, as if reading my mind.
Shaking my head, I pull some paper towels from the dispenser and start wiping myself dry. “That would mean they win. So, no.”
A grin stretches across her lips. “Smart girl.”
Sarah comes back with a white t-shirt. Surprisingly, it’s in my size, with the softball team’s logo on the front—a rose in a circle, along with the team’s name. The Trinity Thorns. Figures…
“Why are you helping me?” I ask, then give Sarah a thankful nod as I take the shirt from her and put it on. “I mean, won’t that get Rhett & co. mad or something?”
Prestley takes a deep breath, smacking her lips in the mirror, clearly delighted by how they look with that shimmering pink shade. “This doesn’t make us friends, Elly. I’m merely extending an olive branch and giving you a fighting chance,” she says. “They had their fun, and I doubt they’ve got any more ideas for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, it might get worse. Until then, however, I’d rather be a decent human being, before I lose the mood, anyway.”
It’s a warning. I can’t get close to her. I have to get that thought out of my head as quickly as possible. The beauty queens are not my allies. Hell, if I’m not careful enough, they’ll become my enemies in the blink of an eye, and I already have The Hotshots to deal with, already so adding them to the terror isn’t in my best interest. When the hell did high school life become so complicated and… savage?
Barkston was different. Then again, I wasn’t alone at Barkston. I wasn’t on my own, cannon fodder for the bullies.
7
Back in Summer Camp, Day 2
It’s deliciously hot out here on Lake Tahoe. I’m in my skimpy jeans shorts and green tube top, since there isn’t much else that I can tolerate on my skin at these temperatures. But I love this weather. I love the heat and the occasional cool breeze brushing against me. The shade is perfect, and I’ve found the perfect tree to sit in with my copy of Mr. Mercedes and my phone on silent.
We’re supposed to have some camp activities today, but I opted out of all that crap. There is no way I’m spending my morning with a bunch of fifteen-year olds as they struggle to tie a sailor’s knot. Nope. Not a chance in heaven or hell. I’ve got a book to read and a soul to cleanse, and there’s nothing like chilling in a tree to do both.
Only… I’m not alone.
“Dammit,” I mutter under my breath, hearing male voices as they get closer to my spot.
I was careful in picking it. One can’t even see the main cabin from here. The woods are so tall and thick in these parts, it’s an absolute delight. It feels like I’m as far away from civilization as possible, and that includes the lemmings in the camp. So, who the hell made it all the way here, messing with my good vibes?
“Give me the flask, Kellan, don’t be an ass,” he says. Oh, shit. It’s Rhett. Kellan and Gage are with him. They’re walking through the woods, now, getting dangerously close to my spot.
“What the hell are they doing here?” I whisper to myself as I crane my neck to get a better look. It’s quite the feat without falling off this branch, and that is the last thing I need—to make a fool of myself in front of these Greek gods.
They share a flask as they walk, chugging and laughing as they get farther away from the cabin and closer to my tree. Suddenly, I feel vulnerable. Downright naked, even. Well, technically speaking, I don’t have much in terms of clothing on me, anyway, but the weather is a most solid argument for this. Why am I overthinking this?
“How long till the camp managers notice we’re missing?” Kellan asks.
They’re about twenty yards from my tree now. I’m about to hold my breath. Guys like them are likely to smell the fear on my tongue, even if I don’t open my mouth.
“I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t give too much of a shit, either,” Rhett replies. “We’re seniors, man. No one cares what we do.”
“They’re too busy herding the juniors, Kellan,” Gage chuckles.
“While you’re busy hoarding them,” Kellan says, grinning like the devil himself. “How many numbers did you get, so far?”
“I think six or seven. I had to turn off my WhatsApp notifications.”
Rhett laughs. “You hound dog.”
“It’s summer! It’s what you do in the summer! You fuck, you drink, you make a friend or two!” Gage replies. I have to say; I do like his thinking. It’s the healthiest I’ve come across. Also, I like the way he saunters through the woods, with nothing but torn jeans on. His chest is bare, and I can see every muscle, every line and ridge of that sculpted torso. I doubt he goes to the gym much, though. He looks like someone who does physical labor to get that tone and frame.
The same could be said for Rhett, who’s sporting cargo shorts and a tight white undershirt. He’s bigger than Gage, but still lean and mean. His arms are buff, and I lick my lips as I follow the lines of his bulging biceps. They blend into his shoulders, and my core twitches while I imagine sinking my nails into them, as he takes me. Elly! Snap the hell out of it!
I can’t though. Kellan is even more appetizing. He’s got jeans and a baseball shirt on, but he doesn’t look comfortable. Moments later, as if the gods just answered my prayers, he takes off his baseball shirt, revealing his athletic upper body. The shirt ends up stuffed in his back pocket, and I’m making extra efforts just to breathe. His skin is caramel tanned, and he looks big enough to crush a person’s skull with his bare hands, without swelling like a Mr. Olympia bodybuilder. No, he’s just the right amount of bulky.
“So, do you plan on banging all of them, or will you make a selection?” Rhett asks as they reach my tree.
I lean back against the hard and scratchy bark, unable to breathe. They’re so close, my personal space is practically nonexistent. At this point, if I reveal myself, I might not get the privacy I’ve been yearning for. These three look like troublemakers—the kind of troublemakers I’m into, actually. But if I keep quiet and they keep walking, I might get through today without piling up things not to tell my mom about.
“I’m not sure. The twins were partial to a threesome, so I might knock two off the list at once,” Gage says, slightly amused.
Whatever effect they have on me, it’s strong and it’s baffling and it’s impossible to ignore. I’m so mesmerized, that my mind wanders away from the woods around Lake Tahoe and vanish inside a bedroom, wondering what a threesome would be like with Gage. Would I even want to share him with another girl? Or would he maybe want to share me with another guy? I’ve seen enough porn to make sense of what that would look like. It’s getting hotter as I dry-swallow, wondering if Kellan or Rhett would be into something on these lines. Or all three? What would that be like?
Jesus fucking Christ, Elly, that’s bold for a virgin!
Right. I should try it with one guy first, before I look at two or three at once. Unable to help myself, I glance down to get a better look as they walk past my tree. Tension gathers between my legs, and I know I’m getting wet. It’s hard not to, given the visuals that these three are projecting on what is clearly a dirty little mind. Biting into my lowe
r lip, I give myself a second to imagine Rhett taking me, while my hands wander down Kellan and/or Gage’s naked chests.
The idea is so tiny and yet so dangerous, that I nearly lose myself in an entire fantasy, until my book slips from my hands and lands on the ground, startling the three gods. “Oh, shit,” I mumble, freezing on the spot.
Rhett, Kellan, and Gage stop in their tracks. Rhett glances back and notices the book at the base of the tree. It only takes seconds for him to put two and two together and look up. I’m so screwed. Horny and screwed, the latter not in a good way. I can’t move.
His eyes find me, green and filled with questions that I dread answering, already. But his expression doesn’t betray a single thought. “Elly?”
“Hi…” I croak, then clear my throat to try again—louder, this time. “Hi.”
“What are you doing up there, firebug?” Kellan asks, clearly amused.
Firebug? Is that a loving nickname? Or am I something he’d like to trap inside a jar?
I haven’t spoken to them since we met, yesterday, in rather strenuous circumstances, so I have no idea how to approach them. How to behave. How I want to come across. I’m a lost little lamb who has just spent the past few minutes thinking about having sex with them individually and together. Now, I can’t even formulate a coherent sentence.
“I… Ugh, reading. I was… privacy, you know?”
Rhett raises an eyebrow, while Gage is trying not to laugh. “Privacy?” Rhett asks. “Privacy to do what, exactly?”
I’m blushing. I can feel the blood surging through my cheeks, popping roses open as I try to look away from him but can’t. However, I do manage to point at my book. “To read. Duh.”
“Duh…” Gage chuckles. “So, you heard us talking just now, then, huh?”
I nod slowly. “I didn’t mean to. Minding my own business up here, as you can see.”
Rhett comes back to the tree and picks up my book. He looks at it, then up at me. “The sequel isn’t bad, either,” he says. I may be falling a little bit for him. It’s not often I find a peer who likes Stephen King. His books are for a more… mature audience, to say the least.
“You like him?” I ask, my voice barely audible.
He smirks, then starts climbing the tree. I’m about to panic and scream—though I can’t understand why. It’s not like he’s a grizzly bear making his way up to eat me! I’m still, and I dare not move a muscle as he reaches me, almost effortlessly. He’s climbed up a tree or fifty before. This was way too easy for him.
He grips my branch with both hands from below and pulls himself up, then straddles it, my book stuck between his teeth. My gaze drops to his lips as he takes the book out and hands it over to me. “Dropped something?”
That’s rhetorical. I should at least smile. Of course, I’m grinning. Not smiling. Grinning like the friggin’ Cheshire cat, with no way of controlling myself as I take my book back with a trembling hand. He eyes me curiously, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. My heart thuds nervously, too big for my ribcage, all of a sudden. Rhett has a troubling effect on me, and I don’t know what to do with it. I’ve never felt like this before. The popular guys in my school were all too safe. Who would have thought that it would be the troublesome ones who’d be capable of lighting this kind of fire in me.
“So, what, we’re climbing trees, now, Tarzan?!” Gage calls out from below, laughing.
“Hold your horses,” Rhett replies, then looks at me and smiles. “Are you seriously going to stay up here all day?”
I shrug. “What else am I supposed to do? It’s not like I’m into canoeing with tenth graders…”
“We were gonna go for a swim. Kellan’s packing some booze. Might as well make the day count,” Rhett says, a twinkle of mischief burning in his green eyes.
It takes all the strength I can muster not to lick my lips again. I swallow back the thought and nod again. “I mean, if you’ll have me, I won’t mind,” I mutter.
“Oh, we’ll definitely have you, Elly,” Rhett replies, and I can’t help but wonder whether he means something else with that or not.
Maybe it’s just my brain glitching, short-circuiting somehow. Maybe the heat is a lot stronger than I thought, and it’s messing with my head. Or maybe Rhett is simply inviting me to join him, Kellan and Gage for drinks down by the lake, far from the madding crowd.
I know I can’t bring myself to reject such an offer. I’d be an idiot. An absolute idiot. So, I don’t.
“Okay,” I sigh, as he climbs back down the tree and waits for me at the base. Moving carefully, I get off the branch and make my way to the one below. I’m about to have a lot of fun. I can feel it.
This summer might not be so boring, after all.
We’re on the edge of the lake, no summer campers in sight. Some canoes move in the distance, on the other side of the water. Their laughter buzzes across, but it still doesn’t make me regret my decision. I’m past the giggling and paddling, more into chilling and catching some sun, for now, and that’s exactly what The Hotshots and I are doing. Well, that and emptying a flask of throat-burning single malt.
I don’t say much, but I do enjoy watching them interact. They’re funny. They like to laugh. Their jokes are beyond dirty, but it’s nice to unwind like this. Everyone else I know is so stuck up or puritan, it makes me want to barf, sometimes.
Rhett, Kellan, and Gage are wonderful and refreshing in their depravity. They make sex sound a lot better than what I’ve heard in class. Also, it’s not all they talk about, which is impressive. I’ve spent the past few years thinking it’s the main topic in most conversations between guys.
“At the rate we’re going, the carbon capture dream might stay a dream before it’s all over,” Rhett says. They’re talking about the environment. Most of the tree huggers I hang out with fawn over paper straws and seaweed packaging. These guys are at a whole different level. I’m already a teeny bit smarter by having listened to them so far. “It’s a good idea, but if they don’t come up with something in the next ten years, tops, the effects of climate change will be irreversible.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little dramatic?” I ask.
Rhett looks at me, and having his full attention is almost like an orgasm. The self-inflicted type. I’ve not tried the other kind, just yet. “Have you read about what happened in Greenland back in June? All the ice they lost?”
I nod. “No one saw that coming, huh?”
“Exactly. Unexpected, on top of what we’re dealing with, already,” Rhett replies. “And the issue isn’t with us, regular people, and our meat eating habit or any of that bullshit. Nah, it’s about the corporations. The factories. The high level of carbon emissions. You think cow burps made Greenland’s ice melt down?”
I shake my head, absorbing every ounce of his slightly profane wisdom. “It’s the corporations,” I murmur, echoing him. Part of me would like to offer more eloquence, but Rhett has taken his undershirt off, and now I’m dealing with three half-naked Greek gods who seem to enjoy my company for some reason.
“The irony is how the very people who pretend to care about the environment react when they realize that stopping this entire catastrophe from further unfolding requires them to drive their cars less, because… carbon tax,” Kellan chuckles. “They will burn the whole country down before you make em pay an extra fifty cents on the gallon. Selfish pricks…”
“I try to be as responsible as I can, where the environment is concerned. Mom tried to make us all go vegetarian at one point,” I say. “It didn’t work out.”
I have Gage’s renewed interest. “How come?”
“I like bacon too much,” I mutter. It makes them laugh.
“Listen, Elly, it’s not about your bacon. Or anyone else’s, for that matter. Methane from pigs and cows is a tiny percentage of the much bigger problem,” Rhett says. I can see him running for office, someday. He’s got the charisma, the rich vocabulary. And dammit, he looks good in cargo shorts. Who looks good in c
argo shorts?
I’d work with him, for sure. He might become my VP someday. “Out of curiosity, and off-topic, have you guys looked at colleges, yet?” I ask, hoping he’ll mention political sciences at an east coast school, which is what I’ve been browsing for the past couple of weeks. One day into summer camp, and I already want them in my future, somehow. Anyhow. It’s amazing, and it’s also a little scary, but I roll with it. It sounds so good, I can’t help but fantasize about our lives intertwining from this moment onward.
Rhett smiles, gazing at the lake. The crystal-clear waters lap at the shores, crisp and lazy. Willows bend over, their branches swaying in the soft breeze. I can’t get enough of this place. The camp is nice and cozy but suffocating with all those kids. Out here, on the other hand, it’s heaven. It’s heaven with The Hotshots. “I’ve thought about political science,” Rhett says, and I’m surprised I don’t squeal from the sudden surge of excitement.
“Oh, really?” I reply, keeping a casual tone. “Running for office someday, then? Senator? Congressman? President?”
I wiggle my eyebrows, and it makes him chuckle.
Kellan pats him on the back. “Yeah, he’s gonna change the world, someday.”
“He’s got what it takes for it, too, the silver-tongued bastard,” Gage says.
Rhett feigns indifference, but there’s a tinge of pink in his cheeks. He’s blushing. “We’ll see what happens,” he mutters, briefly gazing my way. “All sorts of unexpected, unplanned things pop up when you think you’ve got a clear path ahead. I’d rather not count any chickens, yet.”
“But we have to start applying to colleges this year,” I reply. “My parents have already been nagging me about it.”
Gage sits next to me on a collapsed tree trunk, handing over the flask. I welcome its blaze down my throat, as I take a long sip and allow the whiskey to seep into my very bones. I’m a lot gigglier now than twenty minutes ago. It’s a sign I should stop before my legs turn into spaghetti. My alcohol tolerance is ridiculously low.
Trinity High: High School Bully Romance Page 5
